


Slide Show

by ssclassof56



Series: Then Live With Me and Be My Love [5]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family, Family Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 15:13:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10699611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssclassof56/pseuds/ssclassof56
Summary: Illya attempts to show his family a slide show of their recent vacation.





	Slide Show

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to LiveJournal's MFU Map Room for a Section7MFU - Short Affair Challenge  
> Prompts: easy / brown

As Illya wrestled with the folding projection screen, a rhythmic thunking sound broke into his awareness. “Stop kicking the table,” he advised his son.

Léon threw himself back against the couch cushions with a groan. “Why do I have to be here?”

“Because we are spending time together as a family.” Illya gave a triumphant exhalation when the screen case ceased revolving and clicked into place. “Whether you like it or not.”

“But do we have to look at slides?” Léon turned a pleading gaze on his mother, who sat on the loveseat, braiding one of Liliya’s brown pigtails.

“Léon, your father took these photos of our trip, and we're going to look at them.”

“All the slides,” Liliya added, clapping happily.

“That’s right.” Faustina sighed. “Every single one.”

“Thanks, dear,” Illya said dryly.

He heard the smile in her voice when she replied, “Always got your back, babe.”

Illya hooked the screen in place and raised it to full height. “Sasha, I know you’re on that staircase. Come in here, and sit down.”

His second son clomped back down the steps and dragged his feet into the room. “So close. How did you even see me from behind that screen?”

“Years of training.” Illya turned on the slide projector and centered its white square of light on the screen. “Lights, please.” As Sasha flicked the switch, Illya crossed to the loveseat, unfurling the remote control cord behind him.

“My turn,” his daughter reminded him as he sat down. She crawled into his lap and took the remote from his hand.

“Just go easy on the buttons,” he said. He wrapped a steadying arm around Liliya’s waist and draped the other across his wife’s shoulders.

Liliya cleared her throat. “Now presenting Disney World,” she announced and clicked the button to advance the carousel.

The square of light was replaced by a multitude of animatronic dolls in white and gold costumes. “It’s a small world after all,” the twins began to sing in falsetto.

Liliya hopped off Illya’s lap and went up to the screen. She pointed to one of the dolls. “Lil’ka,” the boys groaned. She waved the remote and pointed again. “France,” Sasha intoned unenthusiastically. “India. Mexico.”

Illya grunted. Faustina rolled her head to look at him. “What?”

“That should not have been the first slide.”

Having exhausted the parade of nations, Liliya returned to his lap. “No Russia, Papa.”

“Don’t worry. They’re in another picture.”

She clicked for the next slide. Three grim, grinning ghosts thumbed for a ride. “Hey, Lil'ka,” Léon called, “which one came home with us?”

Illya sat up straighter. “That slide is from the set I purchased. It should not be in that spot.”

Liliya clicked again. Instead of ghosts, the twins stood on their heads in front of an upside down ski lodge.

Faustina titled her head. “When did we going skiing in Australia?”

“Give me the remote, Liliya,” Illya said in a tone that brooked no argument. He advanced through the next several slides. Baby Liliya, Central Park, a Christmas morning, the Waverly lake, all flashed on the screen in rapid succession.

Illya turned to the twins, who were slowly sinking into the couch. He skewered them with a cool gaze. “What happened?”

“The boxes fell,” Léon said.

“We tried to put them back correctly,” Sasha added.

“Not very well,” Illya snapped.

Léon threw his hands up. “There were just so many of them.”

“Exactly how many of the boxes fell?”

Sasha scratched his head. “How many were on the bookcase?”

“What?!”

Faustina lay a hand on his knee. “Boys, no matter how long it takes, you’re going to get those slides back in order. In the meantime, I think we should finish the carousel. Each picture will be a nice surprise.”

She took the remote from his hand and pressed the button. The image changed to a Mediterranean beach. A woman sat with her back to the camera, dressed only in a bikini bottom, a sultry gaze thrown over her shoulder.

“Aw, Ma,” the boys cried and buried their faces in their hands.

Liliya patted her arm. “You’re pretty, Mama.”

“They did say the whole bookshelf,” Illya said. “Still want to finish the carousel?” He winced as she gave his knee a hard squeeze.

“Okay, show’s over,” she announced. “Boys, we’ll discuss the slides later. Right now, go play with your sister.”

The twins hopped from the couch and headed for the hall. Liliya skipped after them. “Hey, Lil’ka, let’s see if we can find that ghost,” Léon said.

Illya rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his head in his hands. “It will take hours to reorganize them.”

Faustina kneaded his shoulders. “Just find all the ones from Majorca, and the boys can do the rest. I’ll help you.” Her voice grew husky. “You know, it’s been a while since we’ve looked at the pictures from that trip.”

“It has.” Her fingernails ran down his spine, and he hummed his approval.

“Why don’t we put the children to bed early tonight?” Her arms wrapped around him, and her warm breath tickled his ear. “You can bring up the projector, I’ll open a bottle of wine, and we can…reminisce.”

Illya took his wife’s hand and pulled her around to lay in his arms. Her grey eyes shone with the same sultry light as they did in the picture. “Why can’t we send them to bed now?” he growled.

She laughed. “Because it’s two in the afternoon.”

“Technicalities,” he murmured as his lips met hers.


End file.
